La Charreada or La Charro – Mexican Rodeos

Not until recently did I know about truth behind La Charreada or Mexican Rodeos. Probably one of the most inhumane events featured in Mexican Rodeos is the event of horse tripping, where Charros, the cowboys, on horseback show their skill by roping a galloping horse with the intention on bringing the horse crashing to the ground. They are allowed to rope and trip the horse as many times as they like. If the horse is able to rise, terrified, he tries jumping the arena wall, further injuring himself. It is not uncommon for these horses to suffer incredibly painful injuries, including broken necks, legs, dislocated stifles, deep cuts to the face and body, rope burns, even broken teeth. Many of these injuries are life threatening, not that it matters since these horses are rented to the Charros for $65 per day by people who make an extra dollar before the horse is sent to slaughter.

Of course the injured animal is not treated before being shipped to the slaughterhouse, enduring hours of pain and suffering while shipped in double-decker trucks currently used to transport horses. Today there are 85 known Charro organizations in the US and over 1,000 in Mexico. California, Texas, Maine, Illinois, New Mexico and Clark County, Nevada have banned the sport of horse tripping, however, it is legal in all other states and is prevalent in Colorado, Wyoming and most of Nevada. If you would like to help stop horse tripping, and you live in any of the other states mentioned, please contact your local humane society to see how to start a legislative campaign to ban this horrendous event. Also, please write to your Representative (www.house.gov/writerep/).

Good news: The practice of horse tripping in Charreada rodeos in Arizona is now illegal. The passage of SB 1115 outlaws the cruel sport of horse tripping in the city of Phoenix and in Arizona. This bill was signed into law by Governor Brewer in July 2009.